Bram's Blog

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Game 157: REDS HISTORY - HOMER BAILEY THROWS NO-HITTER!!!

Homer Bailey Pitches His Way Into History By Throwing Reds' First No-Hitter in 24 Years.

CIN 1 7 1 (95-62)
PIT 0 0 0 (76-81)

W: HOMER BAILEY (13-10)
L: A.J. Burnett (16-9)

Box Score

Recap:

HOMER BAILEY: 9.0 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 BB, 10 SO. NO-HITTER. A REDS PITCHER THREW A NO-HITTER LAST NIGHT. AND IT WAS GLORIOUS.

HIS NAME IS DAVID DEWITT "HOMER" BAILEY. HE WAS A FIRST ROUND DRAFT PICK BACK IN 2004, AND WAS MAKING HIS DEBUT IN THE MAJORS AT THE RIPE AGE OF 21 BY 2007. ITS BEEN ARGUED THAT THE REDS ORGANIZATION RUSHED HOMER ALONG TOO QUICKLY AND THAT IS PROBABLY TRUE. AS REDS FANS, WE SAW HOMER SUCCEED AND FAIL, AND DO BOTH OF THOSE THINGS AT MAXIMUM LEVELS. HE WOULD AGGRAVATE US TO NO END WITH HIS IMMATURITY AT TIMES AND THEN ASTONISH US WITH HIS IMMENSE TALENT AND POISE IN HIS VERY NEXT OUTING. IT WAS CONFOUNDING FOR FIVE CONSECUTIVE SEASONS. YET, SOME OF US STILL DEFENDED BAILEY BREATHLESSLY AND WITHOUT HESITATION THROUGHOUT ALL THAT TIME. SOME OF US SHUNNED HIM AND WERE SALIVATING AT THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY TO USE HIM AS TRADE BAIT IF HE EVER PUT TOGETHER A FEW GOOD STARTS IN A ROW. ENTER 2012: NOW, SIX SEASONS INTO HIS CAREER, WE MAY BE WITNESSING THE HOMER BAILEY WE ALL HAD HOPED FOR WHEN HE WAS THE TOP PROSPECT IN BASEBALL. HE HAS TOPPED HIS NUMBERS ACROSS THE BOARD AND LIKE THE REST OF THE STAFF, HE HASN'T MISSED A START. HOMER BAILEY DOES NOT LIKE PITCHING IN GREAT AMERICAN BALLPARK. IN RETURN, GREAT AMERICAN BALLPARK IS NOT GENEROUS TO HOMER BAILEY. ON THE FLIP SIDE, NEARLY EVERY OTHER BALLPARK IN THE LAND IS HOMER'S BEST FRIEND WHEN HE IS ON THE MOUND. HIS ROAD START STATISTICS ARE EXTRAORDINARY TO SAY THE LEAST. HE AND JORDAN ZIMMERMAN OF THE NATIONALS OWN THE BEST STATS FOR PITCHING AWAY FROM HOME. THE NO-HITTER TOOK PLACE IN PITTSBURGH (WHERE HOMER TYPICALLY DOMINATES). AND WITH LAST NIGHT'S FLASH OF BRILLIANCE, HOMER BAILEY MAY HAVE SECURED HIMSELF A VERY IMPORTANT ROLE WITHIN THE REDS PITCHING ORDER FOR THE PLAYOFFS. I'M VOTING FOR HOMER BAILEY TO PITCH IN GAME 1 OR 2 (MOST LIKELY 2) IN THE NLDS. AFTER ALL, IT'LL BE ON THE ROAD.

Reds Offense: Phillips, Cozart and Rolen all had two hits apiece. Votto reached base twice with a single and a walk. The Reds' only run was scored on a sacrifice fly by Todd Frazier that scored Brandon Phillips. That was all they needed.
Below are some articles to read regarding this wonderfully awesome day in Reds history
But first, I have to thank my friend Nick Martin for alarming me of the situation that was going down in Pittsburgh without my knowledge. I was very busy at work and wasn't using my MLB.com Gameday Audio like I do every single game when I can't watch. Luckily, Mr. Martin sent me a text in the 8th inning and I was able to listen to Marty Brennaman and his call of the final three outs of Homer Bailey's no-hitter. You really feel like you are a part of history when you get to hear it or see it when it as it unfolds live. Thank you, Nick!

FoxSports Ohio's Coverage of Homer's No-No

Hall of Famer

Marty Brennaman's Call of Homer Bailey's No Hitter

Been Gone Too Long (Out Like Trout)

By Nick Hall

Ok, ok, ok,ok. First of all, sorry for the delay. I've been a slacker. I'm back now, so hang in there.

I want to talk about why Mike trout has had one of the greatest Rookie seasons ever, but is nowhere close to being the MVP over Miguel Cabrera. I have been reading article after article about how Mike Trout is the "clear" MVP choice. This is based only on WAR, which is a BS stat and I'll show you why. Let's just start by looking at the numbers.

                                            Miguel Cabrera                 Mike Trout

                                BA           .327                                   .321
                                AB              609                                    539
                                Runs            108                                    125
                                Hits              199                                    173
                                2B                 40                                      25
                                3B                  0                                        7
                                HR                43                                      29
                                RBI              136                                     79
                                SB                 4                                       47
                                BB                65                                      64
                                SO                97                                     132
                                OBP            .391                                   .393
                                SLG            .604                                   .555
                                OPS            .995                                   .948

So, Miggy leads in Batting Average, Slugging Percentage, Hits, Home Runs, RBI. He has more at bats and fewer Strike outs, 83 extra base hits versus 61 by Trout. Let's not forget that Miggy is leading the Triple Crown with 4 games left in the season, and his team is on track to win their division.

Trout is no slouch, I love watching him play. He does lead a few categories like stolen bases, a slim lead in OBP, and more runs scored. Nothing to scoff at, especially for a rookie. Furthermore, Trout fields his position better than Cabrera fields his....sort of. Trout has a .988 fielding percentage as an outfielder, which is pretty average, really, for an outfielder. He has made a few more flashy plays, but overall, he is not really outstanding in the outfield. He actually has more errors than assists in the outfield. Don't forget that Miguel switched from playing first for the bulk of his career to being a full time 3rd basemen.

The point is this, how can you really argue that a guy who is about to win a Triple Crown and take his team into the playoffs, is less deserving of an MVP award than a guy who leads a couple of categories and is going to miss the playoffs? To me it isn't even close. Cabrera, in my opinion, should be a unanimous decision. In fact, since the all-star break, I really didn't even consider anyone else as being a contender. That is, until I started reading article after article about how Trout was more deserving.

Mike Trout is an amazing baseball player. He is hands down Rookie of the Year. He has had one of the greatest rookie seasons of all time. I believe he will continue to be a great player, and not a flash in the pan. I love watching him play. With that said, he is not the MVP this year. In my opinion, he isn't even close.

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Game 156: Walkoff Heroics in Reds' Home Finale

Reds Score Both Runs With Two Outs in Bottom of the 9th; Frazier and Navarro Play Heroes

MIL 1 5 0 (80-76)
CIN 2 6 0 (94-62)

W: Jonathan Broxton (4-3)
L: John Axford (5-8)

Box Score

Recap:

Mat Latos: Overshadowed by the late inning improbables, Latos was once again a beast on the mound. 7.0 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 1 BB, 3 SO. Only a solo homer in the 3rd inning from one bad pitch stopped a possible second-straight shutout for Mat. Terrific performance yet again.
Todd Frazier!: Finally, a home run! Todd hit his first home run (19) in what seemed like forever, and it came at a great time too; the bottom of the 9th with two outs and down a run. Fantastic.
Dioner Navarro: Navarro looks a lot like the All-Star catcher he was in the American League a few years ago. He has come up huge (that cannot be understated) for this ballclub in the last several weeks. And this game was no different. After a Frazier bomb that tied the game and then a single by Jay Bruce, Navarro promptly delivered a triple to the right-center field wall that scored Bruce and won the game for the Reds in walkoff fashion.
All this fun happened after there were two outs in the bottom of the 9th; and those two outs happened via strikeouts to Zack Cozart and Joey Votto. It looked as bleak as it could look. Then came Superhero Todd Frazier and his whoopin' stick. Then came Jables keepin' things alive. Then came the catcher we signed to a minor league deal in the offseason for precautionary measures who has become a force to be reckoned with at the plate. Way to stick it out, boys. Just another one of those nights that proves the old Yogi Berra quote true: "It ain't over til its over."

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Game 152: 2012 CENTRAL DIVISION CHAMPIONS

Reds Become First Team in 2012 to Clinch a Division Title; Best Dodgers Behind Studly Latos

LAD 0 6 1 (78-74)
CIN 6 8 0 (92-60)

W: Mat Latos (13-4)
L: Stephen Fife (0-2)

Box Score

Recap

The Cincinnati Reds are 2012 Central Division Champions! Did you have any doubts? This makes for two titles in three years in the Queen City now. And this is a whole different ballclub than those pesky 2010 champs. These guys are confident, capable, and a lot of them are out to prove something.
Mat Latos has been nothing less than spectacular for the last three months and he was simply brilliant last night. 8.0 IP, 0 R, 6 H, 0 BB, 7 SO. That was the game he put together in front of 42,000 people and a national television audience and to win a division title for his team. I would consider that he be our ace going into the playoffs, not Cueto. Cueto has been great all year long (until recently), but Latos has become the man with the fire we had hoped for...and gave up a lot for.
Jay Bruce: Jables was able to play a part once again in another Reds division clinching game in his young career. He tattooed a home run to right field for his 34th of the year. I swear he must have been tipped off about the pitch type, location, and velocity.
Brandon Phillips also crushed a ball to left field off the banner scoreboard under the second deck. It was home run number 18 for Phillips who reached base four times going 2-for-3 with two walks.
Todd Frazier was 2-for-4 with a double (26) and nearly a home run. His double did notch him his 63rd RBI and gave the Reds a 4-0 lead, which was only part of the 8th inning damage the good guys dealt.
Zack Cozart was 2-for-4 including a big single in that same 8th inning that brought home two Redlegs and sent the crowd to its feet. This initiated an awe-inspired smile from Zack standing at 1st base as he peered out into the sea of fans. The fans whom he had just given an extra cushion of two more runs, all but solidifying the Reds chances of winning this division. Essentially, we all felt a little safer at this point.
Aroldis Chapman made his long awaited returned (sidelined Sep.10) and it was impeccable timing to say the least. The lead was virtually insurmountable going into the 9th for the Dodgers, Chapman had been stretching and warming in the pen for nearly two innings, and the crowd wanted it to end with the Missile on the mound. Although Chapman walked Adrian Gonzalez and some command issues, he did show that his velocity was much better than it was two weeks ago. He reached 99 mph a few times including his last pitch, which was a game-ending 4-6-3 double play. Phillips-to-Cozart-to-Votto. Game over. Reds win. We did it.
Rejoice.